Knockdown spool

ABSTRACT

A knockdown spool comprising a drum consisting of two identical juxtaposed staves semicircular in cross section whose edges have longitudinal grooves and tongues engageable therewith for restraining circumferential and radial movement between the staves, said spool further including identical end flanges having apertures therein to receive resilient stems on said staves and said end flanges further having shoulders engageable with catches on said stems together with inclined guides guiding said catches into engagement with said shoulders and locking the end flanges on said drum.

D United States Patent 1 1 3,552,677

[72] Inventor Hugh H. Hacker 2,148,394 2/1939 Thornton 242/118.6 St.Paul, Minn. 2,605,980 8/1952 Atwood et a1. 242/1 18.7 [21] Appl. No.783,874 2,652,993 9/1953 MacMillan 242/1 18.6 1 1 Filed De 16, 1968FOREIGN PATENTS 1451 fi f 451,873 8/1936 Great Britain 242/118.61 1731A5818 956,829 4/1964 Great Britain... 242/1 18.7

St. Paul, Minn. a corporation of Minnesota Primary Examiner-George F.Mautz Attorney-Wicks & Nemer [54] KNOCKDOWN SPOOL l 6 D i F l C ng .85ABSTRACT: A knockdown spool comprising a drum consist- [52] [1.8. CI242/ll8.6l ing f two identical juxtaposed staves semicircular in cross5651175, section whose edges have longitudinal grooves and tongues of18.7, 1 n geable therewith for restraining circumferential and radi- 177-4, a] movement between the staves, said spool further includingidentical end flanges having apertures therein to receive 56 R f Citedresilient stems on said staves and said end flanges further hav- 7 I l eing shoulders engageable with catches on said stems together UMTEDSTATES PATENTS with inclined guides guiding said catches into engagement1,856,298 5/1932 Traver 242/1 18.61 with said shoulders and locking theend flanges on said drum.

KNOCKDOWN SPOOL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicant provides a simpleknocked-down spool for ribbon, tubing, wire and the like..-Th e spoolcan be readily molded of plastic material and prior to erection theparts occupy a minimum of space. The spool has a construction wherebythe same can be easily and quickly assembled without fastening devicesinto a rigid operable condition for use. The two staves making up thedrum are identical, and the end flanges are identical thereby requiringbut twd molds when the device is made from plastic.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed inthe course of the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a spool illustrating an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the structure shown in'FlG. l, a portion ofwhich is broken away.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, illustrating aportion of one end flange and stave with the stave in position to beapplied to the end flangeand drawn to a greater scale than the scale ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the drum shown in FIG. 3 rotated 22% from theposition shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the upper stave shown in FIG. 4. 1

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of FIG. 3with a stem shown in connected position with the flange. a I

The spool A herein illustrated and constituting the invention includes adrum 10 having end flanges 30 and 50 attached thereto.

The drum 10 consists of a number of staves assembled to form a tubularconstruction. In the form of the invention disclosed two staves l2 and14 are shown which are identical and semicircular in cross section.However, a different number may be used. These staves are provided withribs 16 extending in a circular direction inwardly therefrom. The outersurface 18 of the drum 10 when the staves l2 and 14 are assembledbecomes cylindrical and substantially uninterrupted and receives theproduct to be wound on the spool.

The longitudinal edges of the staves are held from circumferentialmovement and inward movement by holding means 20. This holding meansutilizes a longitudinal groove 22 in the form of a rabbet at onelongitudinal edge thereof and a tongue 24 at the other longitudinal edgethereof. The tongue of one stave fits into the groove of the adjoiningstave so that each stave is interconnected with the adjoining stave tomaintain the circumference of the drum as cylindrical. At the same timethe staves are held from relative circumferential and radial movementwhen the product is woundabout the same.

The end flanges 30 and 40 are identical in construction and areinterchangeable. Hence only thelend flange 30 will be described indetail. This flange is disclike in form and has an outward taper 32 onthe outer surface 34 thereof making it thinner at its outer edge 36.Extending axially inwardly from the central portion of the flange 30 isa collar 38 which is concentric with said flange and is formed with acylindrical bore 42 also concentric with said flange. The outer surface44 of 6 collar 38 is conical and forms a guideway for the stemshereafter described and is adapted to fit into a conical socket 46formed in the end of drum 10. This socket 46 forms a sleeve 48 of lesserthickness than thethickness of the wall structure of said drum.

The flange 30 is held attached to the drum 10 by locking means 50 whichincludes a number of stems 52 extending outwardly from the outer edge 54of the sleeve portion 48. These stems are received in apertures 56 inthe flange 30 adjacent collar 38. The stems 52 have catches 58 at theends of the same which engage shoulders 62 formed: on the collar 38 atthe localities of the apertures 56.

The stems 52 are of such a length that when the catches 58 engage theshoulders, the outer edge 54 of the collar 38 is in abutting engagementwith the annular shoulder 59 of the socket 46 which aids in preventingdisplacement and promotes rigidity of drum and flange.

The manner of assembling the parts is exceedingly simple. The two staves12 and 14 are fitted together as shown in FIG. 4. The flange 30 is nextplaced on a flat surface with the collar 38 extending upwardly. The twostaves are then inserted over collar 38 with the stems 52 registeringwith the apertures 56. Downward pressure on the drum will progressivelycause the conical surface 44 of collar 38 to spread apart the stems 52as they enter apertures 56. As the catches 58 pass theshoulders 62 theysnap back of the same for engagement thereof to lock the flange 30 tothe drum 10. The same procedure is then applied to the flange 40. j i

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The device can beconstructed at small expense. When the device is molded from plastic,only one mold is necessary for both staves 12 and 14 for the same areidentical. The same is true of the flanges 30 and 40 which areidentical. The spool is sturdy in construction. When in knock-downrelation the parts occupy a minimum amount of space. when assembledthere are no weak portions subject to the strain produced by the windingof the product on the drum. When'in use the winding of the product onthe drum holds the staves in assembled relation and prevents movementtherebetween. when assembled the flanges have a flat smooth innersurface extending down to the drum and the drum has a smooth cylindricalsurface extending up to the flanges. The spool may be used with string,cord, wire, tubing or sheet material in strips.

I claim:

1. A knockdown spool comprisingi a. two semicircular staves adapted tobe assembled to form b. platelike end flanges at the ends of the drum;

c. holding means between the staves restraining relative radial movementbetween saidstaves when said staves are assembled;

d. a frustoconical collar extending'inwardly from each of said endflanges; and

e. concentric with the axis of said drum:

fosaid collar being disposed with'its smaller end inner

1. A knockdown spool comprising: a. two semicircular staves adapted tobe assembled to form a drum; b. platelike end flanges at the ends of thedrum; c. holding means between the staves restraining relative radialmovement between said staves when said staves are assembled; d. afrustoconical collar extending inwardly from each of said end flanges;and e. concentric with the axis of said drum: f. said collar beingdisposed with its smaller end innermost relative to said drum; g. theends of said drum each having a conical bore forming a sleeve adapted toreceive said frustoconical collar; h. apertures in said flanges at theouter surface of each of said frustoconical collars; i. outwardly facingshoulders on said end flanges; j. stems issuing from the sleeves; and k.catches issuing from said stems and engageable with said shoulders.